FAQs

The current site, being on privately held land under historic short-term leasing arrangement, does not enable asset renewal or expansion to occur.

At its May 2020 Council Meeting, Council resolved to seek community feedback on four possible options for a new Oakford Station, and established an Advisory Group to perform an assessment of the four options against a multi criteria analysis. 

Subsequently, broad community feedback was sought via an online survey, with this running in parallel with the site options analysis. 

At its August 2020 Council Meeting, both the community feedback and results of the multicriteria analysis were considered, and Council resolved to endorse a 2ha portion of State Government owned land off Pony Place, Oakford, as the preferred location for the new Oakford Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade Station.

Preferred location - 2ha portion of State Government owned land off Pony Place, Oakford 

 

 

The Shire’s industrial zoned land is within the Mundijong locality and not Oakford.

The brigade will be mindful of noise when departing the fire station and the use of sirens will be limited until the brigade are clear of the station.

Brigade operating procedures will be implemented to ensure the use of sirens and their disruption to residents is reduced. This will direct that sirens are not being used while departing the immediate station grounds or late at night when not required.

Brigade members attend the fire stations for a variety of reasons including attending call out to emergency incidents, training and meetings.

The Oakford Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade averages 100 turn outs to incidents per year.  

They meet weekly for training on a Tuesday evening and conduct vehicle maintenance on Sundays.  Additional training approximately twice a year would be held at the weekends.

Approximately 50 volunteers.

Not at this stage.

The Shire is still negotiating the funding agreement with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services. Once a timeline for design and construction is finalised, we will share this information with our community.

Approximately 12 months.  

The fire station has no impact on your property’s rateable value.

As part of the 2021 Local Government Grants Scheme, the Shire has been awarded the opportunity for a 10-year self-supporting loan in order to fund the new Oakford Bushire Brigade. The Shire did not seek a self-supporting loan, rather the Shire sought a $1.105m capital grant in order to deliver the brigade building. A self-supporting loan option, instead, offers Council the opportunity to undertake a 10 year loan from WA Treasury Corporation, with the principal and interest payments of this loan to be met entirely by State Government DFES.

The $1.105m self-supporting loan request will be listed for consideration through the Shire’s 2022/23 financial year annual budget and Corporate Business Plan setting process.

These types of foams were historically used for combating fuel and oil fires. Bushfire Brigades utilise foams that do not contain PFAS as studies have shown  these foams when released into the environment become a concern, as the chemicals can bioaccumulate and can persist in humans, animals and the environment.